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Kingston is the heartbeat of Jamaica; it drives the island’s cultural and economic pulse. While Jamaica’s major tourist centers of Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, and Negril are a surreal world straddling a party paradise inside... Learn More

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The highest mountain range in Jamaica, the Blue Mountains harbor a rich history, having provided refuge for runaway slaves, transplanted French-Haitian coffee farmers, and even Bob Marley, when he sought safety and seclusion at... Learn More

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The parishes of Portland and St. Thomas form Jamaica’s easternmost region and contain the island’s least exploited natural treasures. A quiet town in the center of Portland’s coast affectionately known as "Portie... Learn More

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Montego Bay is the capital of St. James parish. Commonly referred to by locals as "Mobay," it's a place buzzing with cruise ships and international flights brimming with tourists. Many of these tourists spend barely a day... Learn More

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St. Ann is full of rivers and gardens, thus its well-deserved nickname, “the garden parish.” Locals will pronounce Ocho Rios as any incarnation from oh-cho ree-os to oh-cho ryhas or, most commonly, simply... Learn More

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Hanover and Westmoreland are Jamaica's westernmost parishes. Hanover wraps around from Montego Bay on its northeastern border to where Negril's large hotel strip overflows from Westmoreland at its western reaches. It's a... Learn More

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The parishes of Clarendon, Manchester, and St. Elizabeth make up the south-central part of Jamaica. It's the place to get away from the tourist hubs and see some of the country's farmland and less-frequented coastline.... Learn More

Tuff Gong Recording Studio

Moon Author's Review

Tuff Gong Recording Studio operates as living proof that a recording artist can own his music and be in control of his product and legacy. Bob Marley started as a struggling artist much like the one depicted by Jimmy Cliff in Perry Henzell's film The Harder They Come. He was subject to the same producer-artist relationship that made voicing the next tune an economic imperative rather than a carefully planned and executed project. When Marley built Tuff Gong Recording Studio he seeded an empire that continues to earn millions of dollars per year. Today the studio operates as Marley's legacy, with his wife Rita and children Ziggy and Cedella in charge. The studio offers a guided tour, where visitors can see the entire music production process. Tuff Gong has welcomed numerous international artists, among them Senegal’s Youssou N’Dour, who came to Jamaica in 2009 to record a Bob Marley tribute album at the legendary studio. The studio can be booked for recording for about US $40 per hour. A small record shop on-site sells CDs and other Tuff Gong paraphernalia.